Pin retaining means



March 6, 1951 H. H. WOLFE 2,544,288

PIN RETAINING MEANS Filed Oct. 1, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 6, 1951 H. H. WOLFE PIN RETAINING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 1, 1945 2.54mi rm RETAINING. MEANS Harry H"."Wolfe','C'olumbus, Ohio, assignor to The Y Buckeye Steel Castings Company. Columbus,

. A inicaum October 1', 1945', sensing. 619,666

This invention relates to pin. retaining means and more particularly to means for retaining the. i coupler shank pin inproper association with a railway draft mechanism.

Some of the objects of the invention are to provide a simple efficient means of retaining a vertiminimum lift of the pin consistent with proper With. the foregoing ob'ects outlined and with? 15 other objects in vew'which will appear- 'as the description proceeds, the invention consists'in the novel features hereinafter described in detail-, "illustrated in the accompanyin 1 drawings and more particularly pointed out in' the appended" claims.

pin bearing and clearances.

In the drawings: Fig. l is a top planyiew of a portion of a' railway draft structure of the type with which my retainer may be used. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the same; Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a detail illustratingthe coupler shank pinand my improved retaining means. v

Fig. 4 is a planview of the retainer key. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view on 66 of Fig. 3. I

Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the key taken on the line 1-1 of Fig. 5'. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one of the apertured lugs to receive the key and showing the key in insertion or removal position.

Fig. 9 is a similar view with the key in pin rethe line taining position.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates railway draft means including a coupler ll (only a:

portion of which is shown) which has a shank" l2. bifurcated at the butt 'endl3 and "provided with vertical pin holes 14. The couplerbutt fits into. pockets I5 in the radial connection It. Lugs 11 on. the radial connection [6; havepin, holes "f Bg rec ive th v rt al p 9; hi h, nnea the-coupler tothe radial connection. The radial.

connection..is pivotally secured to: a yoke by a;

orizontal pin 2'! retained-by. draft IugsZZ which are. partof the centersill arran em of th railway car... The radial connection. seat 23 bears .against the rear surface .24.'-of .radial connection wand the draft gear (not. shown) in buff. The

10- Claims. (Cl. 213-42),-

radial: connection seat 23 performs no. function in pulling.

In accordance with the present invention, the radial connection casting it has depending pin support lugs 25 and 26 which support the retainer key?! and in turn the vertical pin l9. Retainer 21 has a head 28 and an extension 29 which is drilled for a rivet or cotter, not shown. The portions 30 and 3| of the retainer which rest on the support lugs 25 and 26 are shaped as shown in Fig. 7. A section through the portions or journal areas 30 and 3| shows thatthe corners 2012 are rounded so as'to permit the retainer to be turned 90 without having to raise'the pin l9 an appreciable amount, and the other two opposite corners 21aare made square withsmall radii on these corners.- The-intermediate portion 32 of theretaner has across sectional shape like the head 28"whic-hprevents" removal of-the latter except byturnin'g it through approximately 90 in a 7 clockwise direction in Fig. 3. The retainer "head 2 8=and intermediateportion'32 areapproximately rectangular in cross section with one corner" ofthe. head'28-and' the portion 2-3 each arcuate shaped-at 21a, and this rounded portion prefer-- ably extends from end to end of the retainer.

Support lug 25- has aslot 33 through which retainer"21"is inserted,"asshown in Fig. 6, andthe height of the'slot'is slightly more than the diagonal A and considerably less than the di-- agonal B '(Fig. '7') of the key which permits the retainer to rotate more or less, in one direction only. The length of the slot 33 is sl ghtly longer than the depth of the retainer to permit application.

Slot '33- has three squarecorners and one rounded corner 33a'which permits the retainer to be inserted in only one position. If the retainer could be inserted in the opposite position (locking lugs to the front), the retainer could not be turned with lugs 28' and 32 down, and'consequently the retainer could not be properly applied, or time would'be wasted in'rei'noving and re-applying the retainer.

Slot 34 i'n'support lug'26'is made approximately the same height as slot-33 for the same reasons as given for that slot. However, the length of the slot 34' is made less than the depth of the retainer'at the center portion 32 to prevent'application of the retainer from the side on which the lug; 26 is placed. The length of slot 34 must be long enough to permit'diago'nal B on the re'-- tainer to pass when'the retainer is rotated. 90 during application.

Further, when the retainer is applied, its

center of gravity C (Fig. 8) is outside the point of support D and the retainer will rotate due to gravity so that the head 28 and intermediate portion 32 of the retainer 21 will interlock with lugs 25 and 26 on the radial connection casting It. This tendency to rotate, due to gravity, also serves to keep the key from rotating into an unlocked position.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that in order to lose the pin IS, the cotter or rivet must be lost, the pin must rise, the retainer 2! must turn approximately 90 and slip sidewise, which is a very remote possibility. Clearances are usually located between the top of radial casting I6 and the top of cover plate (not shown) of the draft sills. It is, therefore, desirable tolimit-the j height of the lug 35 at the top of the radial connection, which lug limits upward movement ofthe pin l9.

When retainer 2'! is rotated counter-clockwise;

after it is inserted, pin 19 must rise to'permit dia onal A to pass between the bottom of slots 33 and 34, and the bottom of pin I 9. If diagonal A were made longer. pin 19 would have to be elevated, for it would interfere with the height of lug 35. Lug 35 would then have to be raised to clear the pin, which is not desirable. The depth of slots 33 and 34 would also have to be increased by raising the tops of slots to provide clearance to rotate the retainer. The other alternative (if diagonal A were made lon er) wou d be to leave 11 2 35 as shown and in-' crease the depth of slots 33 and 34 by lowering the bottom thereof to provide the necessary clearance for rotation of retainer 21. Then. when pin 19 is restin on retainer 21 in the applied position, the pin would be lower than both, and the bearing area between the pin and too 1112 I! on the castmg I 6, would be reduced, which is also under sirable.

Therefore, diagonal A should be more than the width or thickness of the retainer 21. at and 3|. and considerably less than diagonal B in order to maintain proper bearing areas and clearances. From the drawings, it is apparent that ap licants construction embodies these desirable features.

Modifications can, of course, be made in the retainer illustrated witho t chan in the eifec-' tiveness of its function. Both ends of the retainer could be made with lu s li e head 28. or both ends could be made like end 29, or both ends could have lugs like 28 and cotter holes, if desired. The modi cations may vary the shape of the slots 33 and 34 slightly.

While the invention disclosed was desi ned for use with the present A. A. R. Standard ti ht lock coupler, yoke and radial connection, it is not limited to use with such an arrangement, as there are numerous cou ler applications using a vertical pin which requires an efficient pin retaining means. From the foregoing, it is believed the construction. use a d advanta es of the invention mav be readily understood and it is apparent that other changes may be made in the details disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention. as expressed in the following claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In means for retaining a vertical pin connector of railway draft mechanism in which opposed depending lugs are provided with hearing slots for the reception of a horizontal retaining key that supports the pin, the improvement in which the retaining key extends through the cally disposed coupling pin, a pair of spaced lugs' slots and has an intermediate portion arranged between the lugs, said intermediate portion havingfa part projecting radially from the key and oppbsitely disposed flat surfaces, a third plane surface merging into said fiat surfaces at one side of the key, and a partially plane and partially arcuate surface merging into the flat surfaces at theopposite side of the key, one of said slots being of substantially the same size and cross-sectional shape as the intermediate portion of the keywhereby the key can be inserted in the slots in only one position.

' "2."Retainin'g'means as claimed in claim 1, in

H which "the key is provided between said intermediate portion and its ends with bearing portionseachof substantially oval shape in crosssection with diametrically opposite arcuate portions arid-also with diametrically opposite wedgeshaped edge portions whereby the key when in retaining position can turn about itsaxis in one direction only to a position where the key can be,

withdrawn from the slots. j

3. In a railway draft appliance having a vertidepending from said draft appliance at opposite. sides of said coupling pin, said lugs having slots. therein in substantially horizontal aligmnent, a retaining key arranged transversely across the lower end of the coupling pin and supported in said slots, a head portion at one end of the retaining key generally rectangular shaped in cross section, an arcuate surface at one corner of the head, an intermediate portion on the retainingv key between the lugs substantially rectangular inshape in cross section and aligned with .the

head, an arcuate surface at one corner of the, intermediate portion aligned with the arcuatev surface on the head, journal areas at the ends of the intermediate portion and located within said slots, and said journal areas in cross section be: ing generally square with a pair of opposite corners arcuate shaped.- A 1 4. In a railway draft gear having a vertically,

disposed coupling pin, a pair of spaced lugs de-j,

pending from said draft gear at opposite sides or said coupling pin, said lugs having slots therein arranged in substantially horizontal alignment, a retaining key arranged transversely across the lower end of the coupling pin, journal areas on said pin within said slots for supporting the retaining key, an intermediate portion on the retainer key between the lugs projecting laterally beyond the journal areas'displacing the center of gravity of the retainer key laterall of-the. axis of the-journal areas, said intermediate portion beingsubstantially rectangular shaped-in cross section, an arcuate corner on the rectangular -portion;-; one -of said slots loeing rectangular shaped in cross section disposed-with thelonger dimension in agenerally horizontal position, an arcuate surface at a corner of said rectangular slot shaped in accordance with the arcuate corner ontheretainer key, the journal area in the rectangular s ot being substantially square shaped in cross section with one diagonal thereof of greater dimensions than the height of said rectangular shaped slot, and the opposite corners of. said square'shaped journal area being rounded off .to provide another diagonal of in in substantially horizontal alignment, a retaining key disposed transversely of the lower end of said coupling pin and supported in said slots, spaced journal areas on said key, a head lug on the retaining key at the outer end of one journal area projecting radially beyond the journal area displacing the center of gravity of the retaining key laterally of this axis of the journal area, a lug on the retaining key having an edge adjacent the other end of the same journal area extending radially beyond the journal area substantially in the same direction as the head lug and further displacing the center of gravity from the axis of the journal areas, the slot in one of said lugs having such dimensions measured horizontally as to permit the intermediate lug to pass axially through said slot, and a flat surface on said retaining key diametrically opposite said intermediate lug adapted to be engaged by the lower end of said coupling pin.

6. In a railway draft gear having a vertically arranged coupling pin, a pair of spaced lugs de-' pending from said draft gear at opposite sides of said coupling pin, said lugs having slots therein in substantially horizontal alignment, a retaining key disposed transversely of the lower end of said coupling pin and supported in said slots, spaced journal areas on said key, a head lug on the retaining key at the outer end of one journal area projecting radially beyond the journal area displacing the center of gravity of the retaining key laterally of the axis of the journal areas, a lug on the retaining key intermediate the journal areas having an edge adjacent one lug and extending radially beyond the journal areas substantially in the same direction as the head lug and further displacing the center of gravity from the axis of the journal areas, the slot in one of said lugs having such dimensions measured horizontally as to permit the intermediate lug to pass axially through said slot, a flat surface on said retaining key diametrically opposite the intermediate lug adapted to be engaged by the lower end of said coupling pin, and

said retaining key having a cotter pin receiving opening in the end opposite the head.

7. In a railway draft appliance having a vertically disposed coupling pin, a pair of spaced lugs depending from said draft appliance at op-' posite sides of said coupling pin, said lugs having r slots therein substantially in horizontal alignment, a retaining key arranged transversely of the lower end of the coupling pin and supported in said slots, spaced generally aligned journal areas on said key for turning in said slots, a lateral projection on the key intermediate the bearing journal areas displacing the center of gravity of the retaining key laterally of the axis of the bearing journals, the slot in one of said lugs having such a shape measured horizontally as to permit the intermediate portion of the retaining key to be moved axially through said slot when the intermediate projection is arranged approximately at three or nine oclock position relative to said slots whereby the retaining kev rotates about its axis in response to gravity force acting on the displaced center of gravity to turn the retaining key to a position preventing axial movement through the slots, a flat surface on the intermediate portion of the retaining key diametrically opposite the lateral projection adapted to be engaged by the lower end of the coupling pin, and a head portion on the key at one end of one journal area projecting radially therefrom in the same general direction as the intermediate projection.

8. A retaining device for the coupler pin of a railway draft appliance com-prising, a retaining key, a head portion at one end of the retainin key generally rectangular shaped in cross section, an arcuate surface at one corner of the head, an intermediate portion on the retaining key aligned with the head and of the same general rectangular shape in cross section as said head, an arcuate corner on the intermediate portion aligned with the arcuate surface on the head, a journal area at each end of the intermediate portion, the axis of said journal areas being displaced from the geometrical center of the intermediate portion and the head whereby the center of gravity or said pin is displaced from the axis of said journal areas, and said journal areas in cross section being generally square with a pair of opposite corners arcuate shaped.

9. A retaining device for the vertically disposed coupler pin of a railway draft appliance comprising, an elongated retaining key, a head portion at one end of the retaining key generally rectangular shaped in cross section, an arcuate corner on the head, an intermediate portion on the retaining key of the same general rectangular shape in cross section as said head aligned with the head, an arcuate corner on the intermediate portion aligned with the arcuate corner on the head, a journal area at each end of the intermediate portion with the axis of the journal areas displaced from the geometrical center of the intermediate portion whereby the center of gravity of said key is displaced from the axis of said journal areas, and a cam surface on one of said journal areas.

10. A retaining member for a vertical arranged coupling pin of a railway draft gear comprising, an elongated retaining key, two spaced and axially aligned journal areas on said key, a head lug including a portion projecting radially beyond the journal areas, a lug intermediate the journal areas projecting radially in the same general radial direction as said head lug whereby the center of gravity of the key is displaced from the axis of said journal areas, and a flat straight surface on the key intermediate the journal areas diametrically opposite said intermediate lug and arranged with the flat surface in a plane substantially at right angles to the radial direction of the intermediate lug.

HARRY H. WOLFE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 127,317 Devereaux May 28, 1872 251,464 Rogers Dec. 27, 1881 279,846 Vanorman June 19, 1883 525,210 Hodge et al. Aug. 28, 1894 824,526 COffin June 26, 1906 1,224,573 Schultz May 1, 1917 1,937,817 Fenstermacher et a1. Dec. 5, 1933 2,055,472 Banows Sept. 29, 1936 2,254,302 Metzger Sept. 2, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 11,935 Great Britain May 14, 1914 109,878 Great Britain Oct. 4, 1917 

